, 1887-08-23
NIP AND TUCK.
How the United States Marshals
Secured Parker.
Warning with a Robber, Two Sher-
ifs and a Dozen Lawyers.
How a Brilliant Attorney Assisted
a Brave Sheriff.

- -At VII SlAi lltlSOIl WIN
robbed Paymaster Bash He uln Ie
along here in a few days, but we had IA
pretty tough tussle to get him away from
those Nebraska officials 1t was United
States Marshal Carr who gave utterance
to the above when the subject of his
North Platte trip was preached by a
LEADER representative Sunday evening.
According to all accounts it was a regu-
lar nip and tuck game for Il time between
the Nebraska lawyers and sheriffs and the
United States officials Tor the possession
of the then popular Parker.
Luke Haley, sheriff of Lincoln county
had charge of the prisoner. He is a good
natured Irishman, who presides at the
bar of the North Platte saloon which
carries his name over the door. Haley
desired to retain the good will of all par
ties concerned, and at the same time had
an all prevailing idea that it was no
more than right that he should
receive a fair share of the reward offered
for the thief. In his well meant endeav-
w. ~ 49, "ot VII dSh GllOuluCl IldItN
was in a continual muddle. The party of
lawyers who were laboring in behalf of the
fugitive from Wyoming would surround
Haley and succeed in inducing him TO
swear by the green sward of his native
isle that Parker should never be allowed
to fall into the hands OF the savages from
"forninst Grow creek" Then Carr and
Borrower, United States marshal for Ne
braska, would corral the Hibernian Off
clal. They would pour into his willing ear
bioodcurdling tales of the great risk to be
assumed in attempting to confne the willy
and desperate Parker in the unsubstantial
North Platte jail, and would tell him that
unless the offender was turned over to the
United States marshal no reward would
be received by anyone. Haley would
ask them to take a drink and say: "Bys,
if it wasn't fur me bondsmin, I'd give
Parker to yez in a minute"
% Sheriff Doane of Logan county, the
cause of the entire complication, was
stolid and immovable. He had arrested
Parker and was confident that he would
receive the coveted reward, come what
may. Doaue after a fierce struggle ar
rested Parker on a warrant charging the
latter with an assault and attempt to kill.
Parker had driven a couple of deputy
sherlffs from an adjoining county out of
the country, and fired a parting salute at
them as they rapidly disappeared over a
sand hill. Doane did not have so much
as a penknife on his person when he ar
rested Parker. The thief in some way
succeeded in getting Doane's thumb be-
tween his teeth and would not let go. At
this critical juncture the gentlemanly and
highly educated prosecuting attorney of
Logan came riding up on his broncho.
The disciple of Blackstone took in the
situation at a glance, and drawing his
two foot bowie knife placed it in the
vicinity of Parker's %iugular vein. and
calmly remarked: Let her go, Gala
CHER, or I'll cut your head of" The
h~ighwayman refused to loose his grip,
and the lawyer began to cut. The prose
cutting attorney soon observed that such
violent treatment would not avail and
concluded to try persuasion. Upon
changing his plan of operations he COM
menced to pound Parker over the head
with an ivory handled 45-calibre revolver.
His persistence and sagacity were soon re-
warded, and it is said be swore a mighty
oath nouar tn annip ott,n,rE ., Co.
man to do anything when it was more
practicable and humane to coax him.
The seemingly sensational and widely
circulated story as to the robbery of Par
ker by three bogus officials is doubtlessly
true. The highwayman strenuously as
serts that such was the case. Three men
have been arrested and subsequently lib
Grated, charged with stealing from the
thief. 1t is openly declared in Nebraska
that the thieves bought their liberty from
INSCRIPTIONS officers who captured them.
Parker and Haley assert that the for
mer has never visited North Platte, while
a score of the residents of that burg are
willing to swear that the highwayman has
purchased liquor at the establishment of
the sheriff.
The probabilities are that Parker has
very little, if any, money left. He always
was a generous cuss, and doubtless gave
away large sums. 1t is said that a week
rarely passed but what he made some new
found friend a present of u horse, some
cash or IA fine rifle or six shooter. 1t is
well known that on several occasions he
furnished funds to parties visiting North
Platte with which to make purchases for
him. 1t was seldom, indeed, that he
ever again beheld either the messenger,
money or desired merchandise.
One of Parkcr's f~avorite pastimes was
to clean his shooting irons with the new
bills in his possession, giving the currency
an aged appearance. He often strongly
intimated, and never denied, to pre-
sumed friends that ne was the robber of
Paymaster Bash. The highway man was
very reckless in his actions, and did not